Assisted direct start and active suspension integration control

• US 9,256,576 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gibson, Alex O'Connor, Doering, Jeffrey A., Lu, Jianbo, Tseng, Eric H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/672,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0182 involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/414 using electrohydraulic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/30 Propulsion unit conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/90 Other conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/16 GPS track data
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/042 Monitoring means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/182 Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/73 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/70 Estimating or calculating vehicle parameters or state variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/85 System Prioritisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 : including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 : Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/192 : Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/00 : Other power-operated starting apparatus; Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from groups F02N5/00 - F02N13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 : Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A system for controlling an internal combustion engine. The system includes engine shutdown/restart means and energy storage means configured for supplying power to an associated active vehicle suspension system when the engine is shut down. A controller is configured for controlling the shutdown/restart means responsive to an energy state of the energy storage means.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

engine shutdown/restart means; and

a controller configured for controlling the shutdown/restart means so as to selectively charge at least one energy source operatively coupled to the engine, the at least one energy source being configured for powering an associated at least one actuatable element of a plurality of actuatable elements of an associated vehicle active suspension system when the engine is shut down.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage means comprises at least one hydraulic accumulator.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising an accumulator charging means operatively coupled to the accumulator for pressurizing the hydraulic fluid stored in the accumulator.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the accumulator charging means comprises an electrically powered pump.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the accumulator charging means comprises a mechanically powered pump.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage means comprises at least one battery.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage means comprises at least one ultracapacitor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the shutdown/restart means is configured to shut down the engine responsive to detection of at least one first predetermined condition, and is also configured to restart the engine responsive to detection of at least one second predetermined condition following the at least one first predetermined condition.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage means is operatively coupled to the engine so as to be chargeable by running of the engine.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a look ahead system operatively coupled to the controller and configured for providing the controller with information usable for determining the desired suspension system response.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured for:

determining a desired suspension system response;

determining which at least one actuatable element of the plurality of actuatable suspension system elements would be required to provide the desired response during an engine shutdown;

determining an estimated energy needed by the at least one required actuatable element to provide the desired response during the engine shutdown; and

responsive to the estimated energy needed, controlling the shutdown/restart means so as to selectively charge the at least one energy source to at least a level required to provide to the at least one required actuatable element the estimated energy needed to provide the desired response during the engine shutdown.

12. A system for controlling a vehicle active suspension system during engine shutdown, comprising:

an energy storage means structured for powering actuation of the active suspension system during shutdown;

a dedicated electrical reserve power supply, separate from the energy storage means and structured to power actuation of the suspension system during shutdown; and

a controller operatively coupled to the energy storage means and to the dedicated reserve power supply, the controller being configured for controlling an energy flow from the energy storage means and from the dedicated reserve power supply to the suspension system during shutdown.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an engine shutdown/restart means, and wherein the controller is configured for controlling the shutdown/restart means responsive to an energy state of the energy storage means.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising an engine shutdown/restart means, and wherein the controller is configured for controlling the shutdown/restart means responsive to an energy state of the dedicated electrical reserve power supply.

15. A method for controlling a vehicle active suspension system during engine shutdown, comprising steps of, by a controller:

determining an estimated energy requirement of the suspension system during shutdown;

determining a stored energy state of the vehicle;

comparing the estimated requirement to the stored energy state; and

controlling shutdown of the engine responsive to a difference between the estimated requirement and the stored energy state.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of controlling shutdown of the engine comprises the step of preventing an engine shutdown when the estimated energy requirement is greater than the stored energy state.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of controlling shutdown of the engine comprises the step of permitting an engine shutdown when the estimated energy requirement is less than the stored energy state.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of controlling shutdown of the engine further comprises the step of, after the engine has been shut down, leaving the engine shut down until the estimated energy requirement is greater than the stored energy state.

19. The method of claim 15 further wherein the step of determining an estimated energy requirement of the suspension system during shutdown comprises the steps of:

a) determining which at least one actuatable suspension system element of a plurality of actuatable suspension system elements is required for a given response of the suspension to a condition ahead of the vehicle; and

b) determining an estimated energy requirement of each required actuatable suspension system element to execute a respective portion of the given response; and

wherein the step of determining a stored energy state of the vehicle comprises the step of determining a stored energy state of each energy source configured to supply energy to one or more of the required actuatable suspension system elements;

wherein the step of comparing the estimated requirement to the stored energy state comprises the step of, for each of the required actuatable suspension system elements, comparing the estimated energy required by the required system element to the stored energy available to the required element;

and wherein the method further comprises the step of selectively charging, responsive to the comparison, each energy source configured to supply energy to one or more of the required actuatable suspension system elements.